Swimming pool overflow device and method

ABSTRACT

A pool overflow device controls water level in a swimming pool. The swimming pool includes an interior wall having an upper end. An overflow port passes through the interior wall at an elevation below the upper end of the interior wall. A drain member has a drain passage therethrough in fluid communication with the overflow port for passing fluid from the pool. One embodiment of the device comprises a 90-degree elbow having a first port, a second port, and a flow passage for passing water between the first and second port. The elbow rotatably mates with a tubular segment about an axis of rotation passing through the first port. The second port is radially spaced from the axis of rotation. The body may be selectively rotated to adjust the elevation of the second port, and thus to control the elevation at which water passes from the pool through the overflow port.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates to a pool overflow device for preventing pooloverflow. In particular, the invention relates to a device for adjustingthe level at which water will discharge from the pool through anoverflow port.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

A conventional swimming pool has an interior wall for retaining poolwater. The interior wall is generally concave, extending upwardly to anupper end of the interior wall. The upper end of the interior walltypically intersects a deck or coping. An overflow port is commonlyincluded in the interior wall at some elevation below the upper end.When the water level in the pool reaches the overflow port, water fromthe pool passes through the overflow port into an overflow passage thatexits to a drain or reservoir. The overflow port thereby prevents thewater level in the pool from rising to the upper end and “overflowing”from the pool over the edge.

A number of factors may raise water level in a pool. Rain, for example,may fall in unpredictable quantities. Likewise, a garden hose used tofill the pool may be left on inadvertently. In such circumstances, theoverflow port is desirable, to prevent inadvertent overflow from thepool. In other circumstances, however, it is undesirable for water todrain through the overflow port. For example, when people get in and usethe pool, the volume of their bodies displaces water and raises thewater level. Additionally, people often place objects in the pool, suchas floatation devices or even pets who like to swim, and doing soincreases the volumetric displacement. When the people and objects exitthe pool, water may have drained through the overflow port, and thewater level has been undesirably lowered. Water must then be re-added tothe pool to raise the water level again. The volumetric displacementcaused during such normal use is typically not sufficient to raise thewater level to the edge of the pool, and it is therefore unnecessary topass water through the overflow port.

An improved pool overflow device and method are therefore desired.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

A pool overflow device controls water level in a swimming pool. Theswimming pool includes an interior wall for retaining water. Theinterior wall has an upper end and an overflow port passing through theinterior wall at an elevation below the upper end for passing fluid fromthe pool. The device comprises a body having a first port, a secondport, and a flowpath for passing water between the first and secondport. The body is rotatable about an axis of rotation passing throughthe first port. The second port is radially spaced from the axis ofrotation. A connecting member has a throughbore in fluid communicationwith the first port for rotatably securing the body to the swimming poolwith the first port in fluid communication with the overflow port. Asealed flowpath is provided between the first port and the overflowport.

In some embodiments, the body comprises a pipe fitting defining theflowpath between the first and second port, the flowpath having at leastone bend. In particular, the body may comprise a 90-degree elbow. Theconnecting member may further comprise a pipe segment rotatably matingwith the body such that the axis of rotation passes through thethroughbore. A seal ring may be included for sealing between the bodyand the pipe segment, an axis of the seal ring being substantiallyaligned with the axis of rotation. The seal ring seals between an OD ofthe body and an ID of the pipe segment.

In some embodiments, the connecting member may comprise a flangesecurable to the interior wall or to the overflow line extending to thestorm drain. A gasket may seal between the flange and the interior wall.A pair of threaded fasteners may pass through the flange and into theinterior wall or the overflow line, the threaded fasteners beingpositioned opposite one another with respect to the first port.

The body may be selectively rotated to adjust the elevation of thesecond port, and thus to control the elevation at which water passesfrom the pool through the overflow port.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 illustrates a preferred embodiment of a pool overflow device forcontrolling water level in a swimming pool.

FIG. 2 shows an alternate view of the embodiment of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 shows a top view of an alternate, lower-profile embodiment.

FIG. 4 shows a side view of an alternative embodiment having anirregular or block-shaped body secured to the pool without a flangeusing a pipe fitting with two male ends.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PROFFERED EMBODIMENTS

FIG. 1 shows a preferred embodiment of a pool overflow device 10 forcontrolling water level in a swimming pool. The swimming pool includesan interior wall 12 for retaining water. The interior wall generallyextends from and includes a pool floor (not shown), and transitionsupwardly to an upper end 14, which intersects a deck 16 near the pool'sedge. An overflow port 18 passes through the interior wall 12 at anelevation below the upper end 14. The overflow port 18 is preferablypositioned within eighteen inches of the upper end 14, and morepreferably between three and nine inches. An overflow fitting 20installed with the swimming pool has a passage 22 therethrough in fluidcommunication with the overflow port 18 for passing water from the pool.The drain passage 22 may extend to a reservoir (not shown) or otherlocation so that water exiting the pool through the overflow port 18 canbe disposed, stored, or otherwise diverted. For example, the drainpassage 22 may be in communication with home plumbing that ultimatelydrains to a storm drain.

The particular embodiment of the overflow fitting 20 and/or drainpassage 22 is non-standard and may vary according to manufacturer anddesign. Most pools, however, include some form of a fixed-level overflowport 18 leading to a passage 22 for passing water from the pool. Theoverflow port 18 is intended to prevent overflow by passing water fromthe pool before it reaches the upper end 14. A typical swimming pool(i.e. not having the device 10) includes a grate over the overflow port18 with a crude filter for filtering large particles or objects.

A body 24 of the device 10 has a first port 26, a second port 28, and aflowpath 30 for passing water from the second port 28 to the first port26 along a path indicated generally at 29. The body 24 is rotatableabout an axis of rotation 32 passing through the first port 26. Thesecond port 28 is radially spaced from the axis of rotation. Aconnecting member 40 rotatably secures the body 24 to the swimming poolabout the axis 32, with the first port 26 in fluid communication withthe overflow port 18. The connecting member 40 has a throughbore 36 influid communication with the first port 26. The flowpath 29 is sealedbetween the first port 26 and the overflow port 18, meaning that waterpassing from the first port 26 to the overflow port 18 does not leakappreciably. If water leaked or escaped, it could impair thefunctionality of the device by limiting its ability to pass water fromthe pool to the drain passage 22. The term “sealed flowpath” does not,however, refer to spatial or relative positioning of any sealingmembers—for instance, o-ring 38 in FIG. 1 is not spatially positionedbetween the first port 26 and the overflow port 28, but it neverthelesshelps prevent leakage between the body 24 and the pipe segment 34, andthus contributes to the sealed flowpath from the first port 26 to theoverflow port 18.

The body 24 may comprise a pipe fitting defining the flowpath 30 betweenthe first and second port 26, 28. The connecting member 40 may comprisethe pipe segment 34 as shown, which rotatably mates with the body 24such that the axis of rotation 32 passes through the throughbore 36. Theterm “pipe fitting” as defined herein includes pipe segments, such aspipe segment 34, as well as a variety of pre-fabricated fittings used tojoin pipe segments, such as elbows. A pipe fitting may thus include atleast one bend. In particular, as illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2, the body24 is an elbow 24 defining the flowpath 30 and having a bend 25. Thebend 25 spaces the second port 28 from the axis of rotation 32. Inpractice, a 90-degree elbow is preferred, but elbows having bendsgreater or less than 90 degrees may alternatively be used to spaced thesecond port 28 from the axis of rotation 32.

A seal ring 38 seals between the body 24 and the pipe segment 34. Anaxis of the seal ring 38 is substantially aligned with the axis ofrotation 32. As shown, the seal ring 38 may seal between an OD of thebody 24 and an ID of the connecting member (in this case, pipe segment34). In other embodiments, a seal ring may instead seal between an ID ofthe body and the OD of the connecting member or pipe segment.

The connecting member 40 preferably further comprises the flange 42secured to the pipe segment 34 and secured to the interior wall 12 or tothe overflow line to support the device 10. A pair of threaded fasteners46 pass through the flange 42 and into the interior wall 12 or overflowline to secure the flange 42 to the interior wall 12. The flange may berecessed into a pocket in the side of the pool wall, with the flangepocket originally designed to receive the flange of the grate. Thethreaded fasteners 46 are preferably positioned opposite one anotherwith respect to the first port 26. Alternatively, there may be any othernumber of threaded fasteners that are not necessarily oppositelypositioned with respect to the first port 26. In other embodiments, theflange may instead be cemented to the interior wall 12. A gasket 44seals between the flange 42 and either the overflow line or the interiorwall 24. In the embodiment shown, the o-ring 38 and the gasket 42 helpseal the flowpath 29 between the first port 26 and the overflow port 18,so that water may flow along the path 29 from the pool, through theflowpath 30 of the body 24, through the overflow port 18, and into thedrain passage 22. In particular, the o-ring helps rotatably seal thebody 24 with the connecting member 40, such that the flowpath 29 remainssealed when the body 24 is rotated.

With the structure of a preferred overflow device 10 thus illustrated,the use and advantages of the device 10 may now be described. In aconventional pool system, without inclusion of the device 10, the waterwill begin to drain when the water level reaches the overflow port 18.This prevents water from rising to the upper end 14 of the interior wall12 and overflowing. A significant improvement offered by the device 10is the ability to raise and adjust the water level at which water willbe drained from the pool into the passage 22. Because the second port 28is radially spaced from the axis 32, the elbow 24 may be selectivelyrotated to adjust the elevation of the second port 28. For example, asshown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the second port 28 is rotated so that the secondport 28 is at an uppermost position above the axis 32. The uppermostposition of the second port 28 should be at an elevation below the upperend 14, or else water would overflow from the pool before it could enterthe second port 28. This compensates for the normal, temporary increasein water level that occurs when the pool is in use. When the pool is notbeing used, the elbow 24 may again be rotated downward. The second port28 may also be extended to an elevated position before adding water tothe pool or prior to an anticipated rain, thereby raising the waterlevel and conserving water.

A pool user may simply rotate the elbow 24 by hand. For example,rotating the elbow 24 by 90 degrees from the position of FIG. 1 willposition the second port 28 at about the same level as the overflow port18, allowing water to drain at about the same level that it wouldwithout the device 10. Note that rotating the elbow 24 to position thesecond port 28 below the overflow port 18 will not lower the level atwhich water drains below the overflow port 18. In other words, the levelat which water drains through the overflow port 18 can be raised, buttypically cannot be lowered, with the use of the device 10.

FIG. 3 illustrates a top view of an alternative, lower-profileembodiment of the device 50, looking down at the device 10. The device50 includes a body 54 having a flattened second port 52. The flattenedsecond port 52 decreases the distance the device 50 projects outwardlyfrom the wall 12. The lower profile design thereby decreases the risk ofdamaging the device 50, and minimizes the device's intrusiveness intothe swimming area. For example, pool users are less likely toinadvertently impact the device 50. The device 50 may also be moreresistant to damage due to a decreased moment-arm of the device beingspaced more closely to the interior wall 24.

In some embodiments, the flowpath 30 may have more than one bend toachieve the radial spacing of the second port 28 from the axis 32. Instill other embodiments, the flowpath may be substantially straight(zero bends), and instead angled to space the second port 28 from theaxis 32. Furthermore, the body 24 need not be a thin-wall or constantdiameter pipe fitting, and may instead comprise an irregularly shapedbody or block having a first port and a second port spaced from the axisof rotation. For example, FIG. 4 conceptually illustrates a side view ofa block-shaped body 60 having a bent flowpath 62 extending between thefirst port 64 and second port 66. The block-shaped body 60 is not apreferred embodiment, however, due to increased manufacturingcomplexity, size, and weight as compared with elbow 24.

Other means of rotatably, sealably securing the body to the interiorwall 12 may be provided. In some embodiments (not shown), the connectingmember may be secured to the interior wall 12 or to the overflow linewithout the use of a flange 42. For example, as further shown in FIG. 4,the connecting member generally indicated at 68 may comprise a pipefitting 70 having a first male end 72 for inserting into the first port64 of the body 60, and an opposing male end 74 for inserting into theoverflow port 65 at the overflow fitting 20. The first male end 72 mayhave a snug fit or an interference fit with the body 60, providing arotatably fixed connection between the body 60 and the pipe fitting 70and/or may include an o-ring 77 between the first male end 72 and thebody 60. The second male end 74 may likewise have a snug fit or aninterference fit between the pipe fitting 70 and overflow fitting 20,and/or may include another o-ring 75 between the second male end 74 andthe overflow fitting 20. Less preferably, a threaded connection (notshown) may alternatively be provided between the first male end 72 andbody 60, and between the second male end 74 and the overflow fitting 20,and a snug thread fit or plumbing tape wrapped around the threads couldseal the interconnection. The connecting member 68 would thus rotatablysupport the body 60 on the interior wall 12. The interference fit and/orseals 75, 77 would ensure a sealed (i.e. non-leaking) flowpath betweenthe first port 64 and the overflow port 65, such that water could passfrom the pool, into the second port 66, through the flowpath 63, throughthe pipe fitting 70, and into the drain passage 22.

Although specific embodiments of the invention have been describedherein in some detail, this has been done solely for the purposes ofexplaining the various aspects of the invention, and is not intended tolimit the scope of the invention as defined in the claims which follow.Those skilled in the art will understand that the embodiment shown anddescribed is exemplary, and various other substitutions, alterations,and modifications, including but not limited to those designalternatives specifically discussed herein, may be made in the practiceof the invention without departing from its scope.

1. A pool overflow device for controlling water level in a swimmingpool, the swimming pool including an interior wall for retaining water,the interior wall having an upper end and an overflow port passingthrough the interior wall at an elevation below the upper end forpassing fluid from the pool, the pool overflow device comprising: a bodyhaving a first port, a second port, and a flowpath for passing waterbetween the first and second port, the body rotatable about an axis ofrotation passing through the first port, the second port being radiallyspaced from the axis of rotation; a connecting member having athroughbore in fluid communication with the first port for rotatablysecuring the body to the swimming pool about the axis of rotation withthe first port in fluid communication with the overflow port; and asealed flowpath between the first port and the overflow port.
 2. A pooloverflow device as defined in claim 1, wherein the body comprises: apipe fitting defining the flowpath between the first and second port,the flowpath having at least one bend.
 3. A pool overflow device asdefined in claim 1, wherein the pipe fitting comprises: an elbow.
 4. Apool overflow device as defined in claim 1, wherein the connectingmember comprises: a pipe segment rotatably mating with the body and theaxis of rotation passing through the throughbore.
 5. A pool overflowdevice as defined in claim 1, further comprising: a seal ring forsealing between the body and the connecting member, an axis of the sealring being substantially aligned with the axis of rotation.
 6. A pooloverflow device as defined in claim 5, wherein the seal ring sealsbetween an OD of the body and an ID of the connecting member.
 7. A pooloverflow device as defined in claim 1, wherein the connecting membercomprises: a flange securable to the interior wall.
 8. A pool overflowdevice as defined in claim 7, further comprising: a gasket for sealingbetween the flange and the interior wall.
 9. A pool overflow device asdefined in claim 7, further comprising: a pair of threaded fastenerspassing through the flange and into the interior wall, the threadedfasteners opposite one another with respect to the first port.
 10. Apool overflow device for controlling water level in a swimming pool, theswimming pool including an interior wall for retaining water, theinterior wall having an upper end and an overflow port passing throughthe interior wall at an elevation below the upper end for passing fluidfrom the pool, the pool overflow device comprising: an elbow having afirst port, a second port, and a flowpath with at least one bend betweenthe first and second port; a pipe segment having a throughbore, theelbow rotatably mating with the pipe segment about an axis of rotationpassing through the first port, the second port being radially spacedfrom the axis of rotation; a flange secured to the pipe segment, theflange securable to the interior wall of the pool with the first port influid communication with the overflow port; and a sealed flowpathbetween the first port and the overflow port.
 11. A pool overflow deviceas defined in claim 10, further comprising: a seal ring for sealingbetween an ID of the pipe fitting and an OD of the pipe segment.
 12. Apool overflow device as defined in claim 10, further comprising: agasket for sealing between the flange and the interior wall.
 13. A pooloverflow device as defined in claim 10, further comprising: a pair ofthreaded fasteners passing through the flange and into the interiorwall, the threaded fasteners opposite one another with respect to thefirst port.
 14. A method of controlling water level in a swimming pool,the swimming pool including an interior wall for retaining water, theinterior wall having an upper end and an overflow port passing throughthe interior wall at an elevation below the upper end for passing fluidfrom the pool, the method comprising: providing a body having a firstport, a second port, and a flowpath therethrough for passing waterbetween the first and second port, the body rotatable about an axis ofrotation passing through the first port, the second port being radiallyspaced from the axis of rotation; rotatably securing the body to theswimming pool with the first port in fluid communication with theoverflow port; providing a sealed flowpath between the first port andthe overflow port; and selectively rotating the body about the axis ofrotation to adjust the elevation of the second port.
 15. A method asdefined in claim 14, wherein rotatably securing the body to the swimmingpool comprises: securing a flange to the connecting member about thefirst port; and securing the flange to the interior wall.
 16. A methodas defined in claim 15, further comprising: positioning a gasket betweenthe flange and the interior wall for sealing between the flange and theinterior wall.
 17. A method as defined in claim 14, further comprising:securing the body with a pair of threaded fasteners passing through theinterior wall, the threaded fasteners opposite one another with respectto the first port.
 18. A method for controlling water level in aswimming pool, the swimming pool including an interior wall forretaining water, the interior wall having an upper end and an overflowport passing through the interior wall at an elevation below the upperend for passing fluid from the pool, the method comprising: providing anelbow having a first port, a second port, and a flowpath for passingwater between the first and second port; providing a pipe segment havinga throughbore; rotatably mating the elbow with the pipe segment about anaxis of rotation passing through the first port, the second port beingradially spaced from the axis of rotation; securing a flange to the pipesegment; securing the flange to the interior wall of the pool; providinga sealed flowpath between the first port and the overflow port; andselectively rotating the elbow about the axis of rotation to adjust theelevation of the second port.
 19. A method as defined in claim 18,further comprising: positioning a seal ring between the elbow and thepipe segment.
 20. A method as defined in claim 18, wherein securing theflange to the interior wall comprises: passing a pair of threadedfasteners through the flange and into the interior wall, the threadedfasteners opposite one another with respect to the first port.